Massive explosions rock Tianjin, 44 killed

A series of blasts hit the northeastern port city of Tianjin, which is around 150 km from the capital city Beijing on August 12. The blasts reportedly killed 44 people, and has injured around 400 people. More than 10,000 people were reportedly evacuated from nearby areas. Two massive explosions were said to be caused by flammable goods that ripped through the industrial area, but the exact reasons have still not been determined. The intensity of the explosions was felt in areas that were not even very closely located to the place.

The state-run China Earthquake Networks Center said in an official post on social media that two of the explosions had carried the force of small earthquakes. The first was measured at magnitude of 2.3, the second at 2.9, it said. State run media Xinuha agency said of the hundreds injured, 32 were critically injured.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have called for “all-out efforts” to save the injured and minimise casualties, Xinhua reported. Li also promised a full investigation of the incident. So far there has been no mention of any link to a probable terror attack and all the statements coming out say it is only a warehouse explosion.

The firefighting operations have been suspended as of now due to a lack of clarity about the contents and amount of the dangerous goods in the warehouse, according to a local government statement on August 13.

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